Illuminated wreath



Jan. 3, 1928.

P. J. TIMBERLAKE ILLUMINATED wanna Filed June 14. 1926 F/ 5.4.

Patented Jan. 3, 1928. i

RAUL J. TIMBEBLAKE, or'anoxsoiv, MICHIGAN..

ILLUMINTATED WREATH.

Application filed June 14, 1926. Serial No. 115,948.-

Myinvention has for its object the productionof an illuminated, ornamental wreath adapted to be-used for decorative purposes, andawhich is fireproof, may be cheaply manutactured, is durable and is sufliciently rigid in construction to permit of-being handled for sale, distribution and use without danger of distortion or breakage. In the following description I employ the term wreath in a generic sense, without particularreference to theshapeand design of the article, having chosen an article of circular form to illustratethe invention. The article comprises a nahedlrmne, which subsequent to its menu;- factur lis ornamented by having applied tl'iereto material such as tinsel,artificialleaves, I

fiowersor foliage, and illuminating devices. The invention, as illustrated, is embodied in wreaths of variousconstructions espe- Christmas and other festal seasons. I therefore wish itto be understood that when I herein use the term \vrea-th "I do not therebv intend that it shall refer only to a fraine ol cireular shape, but, as stated, use itin'a generic sense and intend it to apply toframes of-other designsor shapes, as it is'apparent that my invention is clearly a pplicableto other designs than circular ones, as, for instance, a star, across and othershapes that will readilysuggestthemselves to manufae tur'ers andnser's.

In the accompanying drawings Figspl, 2 and 3-are plan v ews illustrating threedifiery ent'embodiments o'limy invention," theframes illustrated being undecorated and not provided with the electric intended'to carry. v

Figure iis' a p'erspczc'tive view of another l orm of invention illustrating it fully equippedand decorated;

- Figures 5 and 6- are detail views illustrating particular forms ol holdersfor the elec tric' lamps. 1 a

H Figure Tie a sectional VHVIT oft Figure l. V l I Figure 8 is a perspective View of still another form ofmy invention, partly broken away. i a g Figure 9 is an elevation ofa lamp socliet especially designed I for [use n connection View on the line with illuminated wreathsfsuch as herein illustrated.v

. Referring to Fig. 1, 2 indicates a plain 7, andis provided with A that are elastic cially intended for decorative use at the lamps which they are wirer'rame of circular shape. This frame carries aseries OfsllOldGl'S 3 for electric lamps a hook 5 by which the frame may be suspended and with a loop 4% into which may be tied a bow of ribbon-1U, as represented in Fig. 4;. 'The lamp holders are formed of wirebent into loops whichare not entirely closed, thusproducing holders and adapted to securely hold a lamp socket ll of common or special form. The holdcrs13 are disposed in the plane of the circular frame 2, being represented as extending radially inward from the ringQL They may, howerer,. be arranged to extend outward from. such ring, as" represented in Fig. 3. By; disposing-the holders in the plane of the frame the articles may be packed closely for shipment andstorage, as is ap parent. Each holder 3 is formed of a separate pieceof wire the stemof which is secure- 1y attached to the frame as by brazing or soldering. I Int-he form of invention illustrated in F ig. 2 the circular trameQ and the'lamp holders 3 are formed integral froma single piece of wire. The 'lamp' holders are pro-'- duced. by. bending the wire into open loops located at desired distances apa-1't,fthese loops beingin the plane of the article, and,=i'n the" instance: illustrated, extending inwardly fromthefcircul'araframe'23 The frame 2 illustrated in Fig. 3 is formed of bent' wire. There are advantages in the use of wire of this kind for prodiicing the frame as. it gives a broader base than is found in a fran e such; shown in Fi 1, for the support of leaves t), or other n'iaterial that imay be secured to" the frame, asillust-ra-ted in Fig. 4, for 1 decorative purposes.

The holders 3 Fig. 3; for theelectric lamps V-are' practically in thepl ane oiithe frame and extend ra'dially outward. They differ from the holders illnstrated'in Fig. l i'n that the loops of the holder llflVGCitOll stems one of which is secured to the wire of the frame as by solderingor brazing, while .the' other extends across the frame andforms a pin orpost 6aboutwhich the. cordsS carrying' the conductors that supply electric current to the lamps may be bent ortwisted for the purpose of giving intermediate support to the cords hetween th'e lamp holders, thus causingthe'cords to closely "follow the contour of the frame and also anchoring' the twolegs or I conductor cords adjacent to the lamp holdthese to drop out of their holders after the parts of the wreath have been properly assembled.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a frame decorated to serve as an illmninated Christmas wreath. As represented it carries leaves 9 and has a bow of ribbon attached to the loop 4:. The lamp holders 3 difier from those illustrated in the views that have been describ'ed'in that they stand up from the frame 2 rather than being located in the plane of the frame. There are artistic ad' vantages incident to this arrangement, as for instance where an illuminated wreath is intended as a table decoration. In the form of invention illustrated in Fig. 4 the lamp holders 3 are formed with two legs or stems but 1 neither of these is extended to form a pinor post 6.

In Fig. 5, which is a detail view illustrating but a single lamp holder 3, this being drawn to a larger scale than are some of the other views, the holder is arranged to stand up from the frame 2 as in Fig. l, but differs from the holders shown in the latter view in that one of the legs of the holder is shaped to form the pin or post- 6 about which the conductor cord may be wound or looped. The leg constituting this pin is not secured directly to the frame 2*.

In Fig. 6 a lamp support 3 quite similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1 is represented, differing however from the latter in that the loop into which the lamp socket 11 is set stands up from the frame 2 instead of being in. the plane of such frame, and the single stem of the holder is extended to'form a pin or post 6.

InFig. 8 I illustrate a form of my invention in which the supporting frame is formed of sheetmaterial'. For this purpose metal will usually be employed, though that isnot the only material that may be used. Referring to that view 2 indicates the frame which maybe bent to circular or other desired form. From this frame extend aseries of elastic loops 3 adapted to support the lamps. These supporting loops are represented as being integral with the frame 2. A. series of pins or posts 6 rim, being preferably integral with the latter and about these may be wrapped or bent the conducting cords 8 for the lamps.

I prefer that the lamp socket 11 should be constructed as represented in Fig. 9, that is they should be formed with a circumferential channel or groove 12 in which may lie the elastic or spring holders of any one of the forms illustrated in the drawings. This arrangement serves to prevent the lamp sockets from falling out of their holders after they have been applied duri-ngthe handling of the wreath.

extend from the.

ers are well-known.

As will be seen from the foregoing description the frame of the article which I have described is manufactured from wire or other metal that may be easily shaped and is sufi'iciently rigid to permit handling without danger of breakage or distortion. The holders for the electric lamps or other illuminating devices that may be employed, when constructed as illustrated in Figs. 1., 3, a, 5 and 6 are manufactured in quantities, independent of the frame of the article to which they are afterwards applied as by being soldered, brazed, or welded thereto.

Each holder comprises a stiff stem at the free end of which. is a resilient open loop that constitutes the support and holder for the lamp socket or the equivalent light support. The stem serves not only as the means for rigidly attaching the support to the frame, but also to permit the open loop to be located in the desired position relative to the main frame, being offset therefrom so as not to interfere with the clothing or ornamentation 9 that may be applied to the frame. The extensions of the lamp holders, designated 6 in the drawings, serve, as has been stated, as means for anchoring or holding in position the cords 8 carrying the electric wires for the lamps 7. They may also serve to anchor or give support to the wires or cords which are commonly employed to hold together the leaves 9 constituting the clothing or ornamentation of the article and to unite these to the frame. The extensions 6 or 6* are short, free-ended pins or posts, about which the cords may be passed without necessitating their being strung through an enclosed opening, thus making for easy application and removal.

The lamp socket 11 has a tapering end through which enter wires 8 and is formed near its other end with a groove 12 that serves to form a shoulder with which engages the elastic loop of the lamp holder. Etlocketsv of this general construction may be very quickly and easily applied to a supporting holder of the kind described herein and when applied are securely held. The open loop of the sup iiorting holder permits the electric wires to be easily passed into the space enclosed by the loop, after which the lamp socket maybe forced into placeby endwise movement. the tapering shape of the socket permitting it to spring the resilient holder somewhat as it comes to its seat, while the'shoulder and groove toward the outer end of the socket serve to arrest it in desired position. \Vhen it is desired to dismantle the article the lamps may be easily removed by reverse movement.

I make no claim to being the inventor'of a resilient holder for an electric lamp socket, broadly considered, realizing that such hold- But I believe that I am the first tohave made an illuminated wreath,

or similar article, such as herein described and having the characteristics stated in the following claims. i

It will be apparent that my invention may be embodied in other shapes than those illustratedand that the component parts thereof may be differently constructed and arranged, and therefore I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the specific articles shown.

What I claim is:

1. A frame for an illuminated wreath con'iprising a part shaped to give to the article the desired form, holders for electric lamps carried thereby formedof wire bent into loop form to support the lamps the loops having stems that extend across the fran'ie part, to which they are secured to constitute posts about which may be twisted flexible electric conductors. V

2. An ornamental illuminated Wreath comprising a frame shaped to give to the article the desired form, and holders for illnminators carried by the frame and olfset therefrom, such holders comprising open resilient loops and stems connecting them with the frame, the stems being extended to form short, free-ended posts adapted to serve as supports and anchoring means for cords used in the ornamentation of the naked frame.

3. An ornamental illuminated Wreath or similar article comprising a frame shaped to give to the article a desired form, and holders for illuminators carried by the frame and offset therefrom, such holders comprising open resilient loops and stems connecting them with the frame, each holder having two stems, extending from the opposite ends of theloop, one of which is extended to form an anchoring and supporting device adapted for cords employed in the ornamentation of the naked frame.

4. An illuminated wreath or similar article comprising a metal frame shaped to give the article the desired configuration and of'stiffness suflicient to maintain its shape and carry the desired decoration, metal holders for independent lamps G11]- ployed toilluminate the article the holders being spaced apart and each consisting of a rigid stem secured to the frame and a resilient open loop, the stem serving to offset the loop from the frame as desired, and wired electric lamp sockets of tapering configurationat one end to permit them to be easily inserted endwise intovthe loops of the holders and to spring the latter into holding engagement therewith as they are forced into place, the sockets being formed with shoulders with which the loops of the hold ers engage when the sockets are properly seated.

PAUL J. TIMBERLAKE, 

